1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: The Michael Barry Show. I want to take a break 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: from all the negative news for a moment, and I 3 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: want to I want to highlight something positive, and people 4 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: responding to adversity inspires me. It makes me want to 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: be better. I saw things during Hurricane Harvey in Houston 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: at our at our flagship station k t r H. 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: I saw reporters who did not leave the station for weeks. 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: I saw people who they got their families placed and 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: they stayed there because it is a ministry, it is 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: a duty, it's a responsibility. And I really saw in 11 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 1: I saw the Cajun Navy, my my kuon as friends 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: come in to save us, and then we help them 13 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: after that. These moments inspire me and we we shouldn't 14 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: let this moment pass. For all the sadness we see 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: in North Carolina and now with what's going on in Florida, 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: we should take a moment when we see real heroism. 17 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: This is why you build monuments, because then people want 18 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: to do the things that person did that the monument 19 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: is built for. I'd like to build a monument right here, 20 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: right now to w w n C in Asheville, North Carolina. 21 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: We have Mark Starling who is the grand Puba of 22 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: all programming there. There's a wonderful story in the Citizen Times. 23 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: I've posted it to Facebook and to our page about 24 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: these guys. They they got shut in at the station. 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: They didn't complain. They said, we got a job to do, 26 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: we gotta we got to help the people. We got 27 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: to connect the people, we got to comfort the people. 28 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: And they did it. Mark Starling, do you have a 29 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: sounder you can use for Mark Starley, a propers Hold on, Mark, 30 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: we've got it. We've got to do this properly. Maybe 31 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: a walk up song, something to pay tribute to this 32 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 1: man and his team and what they've done. It really 33 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: is incredible. We're working on your walk up song. We 34 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: didn't think about this ahead of time. You got it 35 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: all right? Go here we go, Mark, Really what I 36 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: was thinking? Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. Hold on, folks, 37 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: get yourselves ready. Let me start yet, Mark, let this build. 38 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: Probably first time this dude's laughed in three weeks. You 39 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: realize that, right, he probably does smell. He hadn't bathed 40 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: in three weeks. He's been They've literally lived, they've been 41 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: shut into the station. Here we go and where all 42 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: where rep. 43 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: Right she's asking where the White Knights are. They're on 44 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 2: right here at w w n C, Mark starting hold on. 45 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: The night, Bring that down. This is This is the 46 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: article in the Citizen Times in Asheville, North Carolina, where 47 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: they broadcast Trapped in the station by falling trees, offline, 48 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: no power, no water, negligible cell phone reception. A team 49 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: of local broadcasters stayed on air as tropical Storm Helene 50 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: brought flooding and devastation to western North Carolina. A week 51 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 1: and a half later, they're still there, fielding NonStop phone 52 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: calls from community members and trying to connect those with 53 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: needs to those with the skills and resources to fill them. 54 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: It began September twenty seventh, as news director and morning 55 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: show host Mark Starling rode out tropical Storm Helene in 56 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio's West Asheville studio miles away. His wife, Brandy, was 57 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 1: braced in an suv with their son and four dogs 58 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: at the Sitgo station in Black Mountain, watching waves come 59 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: over the top of the I forty five overpass. She'd 60 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: been trying to get to the studio. Man, I'm sorry, 61 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: I get choked up because my wife and kids. I 62 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: was given a speech in Baton Ruge when Harvey hit 63 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: and I couldn't get back into town and they had 64 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: to walk through the water chest high and dangerous. Oh 65 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: my goodness, Mark Starling, I thought that if I made 66 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: enough jokes at the beginning, I'd keep from crying. Brother, 67 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: I'm not even kidding. You are a badass. You guys 68 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: on behalf of all the people of Asheville, North Carolina. 69 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 1: Thank you for what you guys have done. This really 70 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: is amazing. This really is amazing. I had radio people 71 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:38,919 Speaker 1: from across the country reaching out to me with this story. 72 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: Have you seen these guys and see what they did? 73 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: I mean, not every hero wears capes. I hope you will. 74 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: I'm going to send you this audio. I want you 75 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: to share this conversation with everybody at your station and 76 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: tell them that this is truly inspirational. 77 00:04:55,720 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 3: I really appreciate you seeing that. Mike. It's h It's 78 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 3: been a hell of a time, but you know, Western 79 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 3: North Carolina is one of the most determined places I 80 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 3: have ever lived. These people here in the mountains are amazing, 81 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 3: and as much as I wish I could say that 82 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 3: it was me, I have a team that is the 83 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 3: most top notch radio professionals I have ever been blessed 84 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 3: to work with. And they're all music people. They're all 85 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 3: music radio people, and they stepped into a role that 86 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 3: was one of the most difficult, heart wrenching stories to cover, 87 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 3: and they did it like total pros. They are simply amazing. 88 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 3: It's you know, fourteen days living in a conference room 89 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 3: has has taught me an awful lot. I'll be honest 90 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 3: with you. Number one, make sure that you have more 91 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 3: to eat than just chili. If a hurricane is coming 92 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 3: in radio stations, before you lock the two guys in 93 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 3: the station with nothing to eat but chili. That seemed 94 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 3: like a cool, cruel trick from God. But you know, 95 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 3: we moved a hunt and we conquered that one. You know, 96 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: the way this took place was just really amazing. You know, 97 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 3: we had no water, no power, no cell phone, no internet, 98 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 3: and a buddy of mine had heard he was listening 99 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 3: when we actually we were on the air when when 100 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 3: the internet went out. It was I can tell you 101 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 3: it was two thirty nine and thirty six seconds when 102 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 3: the internet went out, and he heard me say that 103 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 3: over the air, and he immediately jumped into action. He 104 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 3: grabbed his hand rate handheld Ham radio. He got it 105 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 3: to the radio station. Somehow or another handed me that 106 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 3: Ham radio and said, Mark, the Ham Radio Operators Network 107 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 3: is up and running. They're waiting for you. They're at 108 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 3: your disposal. They've got everything you need. And so from 109 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 3: that point on, my producer, Tank Spencer. 110 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: Who is yeah, Window Tank. 111 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 3: He's amazing. He's absolutely amazing. He is one of the 112 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 3: most incredible people I have ever met and been blessed 113 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 3: to work with. We sat and we listened to the 114 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 3: Ham radio. We drotted down the information that we were getting. 115 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 3: We would we were in regular programming that we would 116 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 3: not regular programming off and we would go back and 117 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 3: do two or three hours of just the information that 118 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 3: we had gotten, live rescues that were happening. You know, 119 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 3: where was you know, where did you need to stay 120 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 3: away from? Where was the who was at next risk 121 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 3: for being wiped out by a flood? That type of thing. 122 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 3: Once that, once we got through that, we spent about 123 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 3: twelve to fourteen hours that way kind of getting information 124 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 3: out to the people. That was until our fantastic engineering 125 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: team at the iHeartRadio Emergency Engineering Crew out of Atlanta, 126 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 3: we saw them appear like apparitions in the hallway with 127 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 3: a Starlink satellite dish strapped to their back, and I 128 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 3: knew we were going to be okay. They had us 129 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 3: back on the air, Amen, brother, Amen, like we were 130 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 3: on the air the whole time. The only thing, the 131 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 3: only medium that people could rely on in this store 132 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 3: was AM and FM radio. And if there was ever 133 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 3: a story that could light a fire under the butts 134 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 3: of Congress and get them to sign this AM bill 135 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 3: AM radio in cars, this should be the story right here. 136 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: It was. Once we were back online, everything took a turn, Michael. 137 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 3: Everything changed because we had made it through the storm 138 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 3: and now it was time to survive. And that's exactly 139 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 3: what we helped our listeners do, not necessarily survival life 140 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 3: and death, surviving by sanity. We gave people a place 141 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 3: to call in and tell us they were scared, to 142 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 3: tell us that they had lost everything, to tell us 143 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 3: that they didn't know what they were going to do, 144 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 3: and we were able to be a calming voice for 145 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 3: them to tell them, Look, we are going to get 146 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 3: through this together. 147 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: Mark, for just a moment, can you spare just a 148 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: few more moments. I want to talk to you about 149 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: what's going on in your community. The station is WWNC. 150 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: His name is Mark Starling. He is the program director there. 151 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: They got they got flooded in, they couldn't get out 152 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: of the studio. They made the most of it. I 153 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: love these stories, incredibly inspirational. More with him coming up. 154 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: We're talking to Mark Starling. He is the program director. 155 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: That means he runs. A program director is the person 156 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: who decides who goes on the air and the news that. 157 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: It's a news talk station there in Asheville, North Carolina. 158 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: It's called w w n C. And with everything you've seen, 159 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: body bags, a loss of life, devastation, homes just being 160 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: knocked down. Look, there are a lot of heroes in 161 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: the middle of all this. Elon Musk is one of them, 162 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: and Starlink and bringing it in the folks who who've 163 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: you know, from kid Rock to the folks who've donated. 164 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: So many of you who may not be famous, have driven, 165 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: have donated, have have sent It's incredible what you've done. 166 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: And it's at moments like this that you see the 167 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: best of the human spirit. Mark Startling is our guest. Mark. 168 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 1: Let's talk about exactly where is your community in understand 169 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I hate to ask this question, but we've 170 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: had a significant loss of life and we've had a 171 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: significant recovery effort. I wouldn't wish this on the worst 172 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: places in the world. Talk a little bit about put 173 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: your journalism hat on and tell us where we are. 174 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 3: So obviously, the recovery operation is ongoing and it will 175 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 3: probably be one going for the better part of a year, 176 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 3: if not longer. There is power back in a lot 177 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 3: of places. There are still a lot of places that 178 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 3: do not have power. All of the city of Ashville 179 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 3: is out of Our water system was destroyed by eighty 180 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 3: five percent, so essentially it was demolished. The cell service 181 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 3: is back. It still remains spotty in some places. But 182 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: folks are getting right folks. Folks are are rallying together 183 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 3: and they're taking care of each other. And you know, 184 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 3: one of the things that I've when I've been talking 185 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 3: to people, they've said to me, they said, you know, 186 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 3: I've been I've never checked on my neighbors as much 187 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 3: as I've checked on my neighbors now. And the first 188 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,719 Speaker 3: time I did it, I didn't even bother to ask 189 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 3: who they voted for before I cared if they were 190 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 3: all right, And I thought that was kind of funny 191 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 3: because when you look at pre storm and poststorm, none 192 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 3: of that stuff that was ongoing pre storm matters. Nothing 193 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 3: outside of western North Carolina matters right now to us. Now. 194 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 3: We are very much worried about our friends in Florida 195 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 3: with the hurricane that's coming in down there, but we 196 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 3: are concentrated here on really getting the infrastructure back online, 197 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 3: getting our people taken care of, getting them sheltered, getting 198 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 3: them fed, getting making sure they've got the supplies that 199 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 3: they need, and most importantly, you know, getting our kids 200 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 3: back in school. We can't afford another COVID type situation 201 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 3: where our kids are out of school for this law 202 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 3: is the Has the federal sponse been lackluster? I would 203 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: say it has. As someone who would consider themselves a 204 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 3: victim of this storm, I can't be in my house 205 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 3: right now. A matter of fact, I'm I was on 206 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 3: my way to my house when I got the call 207 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 3: that to come on the show. And look, FEMA doesn't 208 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 3: necessarily do things easily, but it's the federal government, and 209 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 3: I don't know why anybody would expect the federal government 210 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 3: to make anything easy or uncomplicated, you know, we are. 211 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 3: Of course, we have the stories of people not getting 212 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 3: you know, their aid or getting denied. And what we 213 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 3: are finding is is that if people are using the 214 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 3: telephones who apply for FEMA disaster assistance, or they're using 215 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: the app, they're almost getting denied immediately every time. And 216 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 3: so we have said go to the tent in person, 217 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 3: take your paperwork with you, and talk to a person. 218 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 3: Nine times out of ten, Michael, that decision is reversed 219 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 3: and those people are approved to get their disaster assistance 220 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: so that they can go on to the next step 221 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 3: of applying for a FEMA load. There is a lot 222 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 3: of misinformation out there. There is a lot of half 223 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 3: information out there. I would ask that people just question 224 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 3: everything they read when it comes down to the response 225 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 3: in western North Carolina, again, do I think they relate 226 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 3: to the game. Considering the fact that we had eighty 227 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 3: five to ninety private helicopter pilots in the air before 228 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 3: FEMA could even blink their eyes and rescuing people and 229 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 3: delivering Starlink units. Greg Biffle, Nascar driver, he picked somehow 230 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 3: he got a load of Starlink unit and started flying 231 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 3: around in his own helicopter giving them to people so 232 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 3: that they could be connected again and they could get information. 233 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 3: The response from the private sector is what we'll save 234 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 3: Western North Carolina. It will have nothing to do with FEMA. Now, 235 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 3: I don't want to knock the people with FEMA on 236 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 3: the ground. These are not the bureaucrats that make this 237 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 3: system so damn confusing and so ridiculous to try to navigate. 238 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 3: Some of these people actually lost homes and lost, you know, 239 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 3: lost family, lost, They were victims of this storm as well. 240 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 3: You know, so I've been asking people please try to 241 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 3: walk with some grace through this. I know it's difficult, 242 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 3: and I'll tell you, Michael, I've had several phone calls 243 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 3: from people that said, Mark, I took your advice and 244 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 3: I just tried to take my grace with me and 245 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 3: really keep a stiff upper lip and just deal with 246 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 3: this at a at a as rationally as I could. 247 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 3: And you know, it worked out for them. Again, do 248 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 3: I think the federal response has been lackluster? I do, 249 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 3: But we are getting our people taken care of, and 250 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 3: I do believe that it will be the private sector 251 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 3: that rebuilds Western North Carolina and turns this place into 252 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 3: the crown jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains as it 253 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 3: once was. A laugh. 254 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: Man, I'm not gonna lie to you. This, uh, this 255 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: chokes me up. Mark You're you're I can tell you're 256 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: so tired. You've got the sand in the back of 257 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: your eyes, kind of tired. You've got the grit in 258 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: your throat, you've got the kind of foggy brain. But 259 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: you also know that this is a moment that you've 260 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: been called to and and that you've got You've got 261 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: to do what you've got to do. This is when 262 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: a man becomes a man. This is when you put 263 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: away your childish things and do what your duty is 264 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: to do. And it's a it's a beautiful thing to hear. 265 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna put you on the spot. And this is 266 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: why at awards ceremonies you never thank one person because 267 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: you'll forget someone. But I want you to tell me 268 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: some of the folks just just give their names so 269 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 1: they get a national audience. At ww NC radio that 270 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: got flooded in, stayed there, stayed on the air, served 271 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: the community despite it all. In the in the radio world, folks, 272 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: I'll tell y'all, in our industry, the people who do 273 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: what we do, these guys are the heroes of the 274 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: moment because of what they've done. We're all talking about it. 275 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: Mention some of those names so that their families get 276 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: to hear them bragged on. 277 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 3: So first and foremost, I have to say Tank Spencer. 278 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 3: Tank Spencer and I were at the station starting on Thursday, 279 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 3: and we kind of rode this. We had asked our 280 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 3: other air staff and our sales staff, you know, the 281 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 3: best thing that you can do for us during the 282 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 3: storm is you can be at home, because we're going 283 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 3: to need to reach out to you to find out 284 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 3: what's going on in your section of town. Tell me 285 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 3: what's happening in your section of town. So Tank and 286 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 3: I were there through the duration of the storm at 287 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 3: the radio station, trapped in there by trees that had fallen. 288 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 3: As soon as those trees got out, as soon as 289 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 3: they got those trees moved, our team came in like 290 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 3: the cavalry. Eddie Fox, Amanda Fox, Jeremy Green, Josh Michael, 291 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 3: ariel Rymer, Brian Hall, I mean, John hewittt our engineer. 292 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 3: You know the names are. It's just these folks here. 293 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 3: This air staff has been incredible. They were given the 294 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 3: impossible task of keeping people calm and being a gentle 295 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 3: voice when people were at their worst. When when when 296 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 3: the when the worst time in a person's life. They 297 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 3: could have lost loved ones, they could have lost their homes, 298 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 3: and they were on edge. That staff, our staff was 299 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,719 Speaker 3: able to provide these people with comfort. We've cried with 300 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 3: them on the air, We've laughed with them on the air. 301 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 3: We've we've met them in the front parking lot of 302 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 3: the radio station when they came by and they just 303 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,399 Speaker 3: needed a hug, and they came by with cookies, or 304 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 3: they came by with a cast role because in the 305 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 3: South need to feel better. Everybody bringing a cast role 306 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 3: like cast roles, or they answer to anything. These people 307 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 3: are just amazing, Michael. I mean, they just I can't 308 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:05,919 Speaker 3: say enough good things about them. They they have changed 309 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 3: by view of humanity. 310 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: Mark Starling, Hank tight right there, Program director ww NC Asheville, 311 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,959 Speaker 1: North Carolina, hits so hard by this storm. We are 312 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 1: out of time for this segment. What we're gonna do 313 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: is we're gonna keep talking off air and that will 314 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: be posted to our podcast shortly. If you're not a listener, 315 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,199 Speaker 1: then subscribe or at least go to this podcast. If 316 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,199 Speaker 1: you are. It will be part of this podcast, and 317 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: you'll hear the end of our conversation because we've got 318 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: lots more to talk about. I'm sorry Mark say that again. 319 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: You were saying that your your faith in humanity has 320 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: been renewed. 321 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 3: Because of the selflessness that they have put themselves through. 322 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 3: They have fourteen days, we've been fielding phone calls twenty 323 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 3: four hours a day, seven days a week. We've set 324 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 3: up a relief network. We have our own wellness and 325 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 3: location checks team. They have reunited one hundred and twenty 326 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 3: families with their ones. We have two chainsaw crews. These 327 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 3: guys aren't getting paid anything. They go out and they've 328 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 3: taken sixty to seventy trees off of houses and all 329 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 3: they're asking for is a hug afterwards. This is the 330 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 3: kind of humanity that encompasses western North Carolina. It has 331 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 3: just been in just overwhelming to see this happen, and 332 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 3: to know that to know that I was able to 333 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 3: play just even the smallest part in this has just 334 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,959 Speaker 3: it has been such an honor to serve these people, 335 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,400 Speaker 3: and to serve alongside these people what we are doing 336 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 3: here at WWNC. I don't know if this would happen 337 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,919 Speaker 3: in other parts of the country. The people of this 338 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 3: area are so resilient and so tough, and they are 339 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 3: so loving and so caring. I just over the last 340 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 3: ten years I've been here in western North Carolina, there 341 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,680 Speaker 3: have been times that I question why am I here? 342 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 3: Why did I end up here? And I do believe 343 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 3: it was for this moment that I ended up here. 344 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: You know, Mark, five ten years from now, you will 345 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 1: be at a music festival that one of your other 346 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,640 Speaker 1: stations is hosting, or you'll be at some public event, 347 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: or you'll be emceeing a political debate. You'll be doing 348 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 1: something where someone knows who you are, and they'll say, 349 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: there's Mark Sterling with WWNC. And someone will walk up 350 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 1: and tell a story, and they will tell a story 351 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:43,439 Speaker 1: about cowering in their house as the waters rose and 352 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: scared to death, and your voice was the only thing. 353 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: And you know, when it's all gone, when the electricity's 354 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: gone and the web is gone, and all the things 355 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: that we cling to are gone, and the disaster is 356 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: in full swing, and Mother Nate's wrath is upon us. 357 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: And to know that they've got that little handheld radio 358 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 1: they forgot they had that AM radio and they got 359 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 1: that to their ear and they're huddled around like a 360 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: fireside speech in nineteen thirty two. And to know that 361 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,440 Speaker 1: you were what was keeping them saying because you were 362 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: finding in the pit of your gut in a place 363 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: you did not recess, you didn't know existed, a positivity 364 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 1: that you didn't even believe that got them through. Oh boy, 365 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: that's going to hit you. That's going to hit you hard. 366 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: That is going to make you realize why, as you said, 367 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: this is why you are where you are where you 368 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: are supposed to be, in the right place at the 369 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: right time. And wow, did you guys ever rise to 370 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 1: the occasion. I hope you will give all of your 371 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: team a group hug for me. We're going to send 372 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: you all some can y'all receive packages to the station now? 373 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 3: Yes? Yeah, Mail service is a matter of fact. Day 374 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 3: of the storm, I got a call from a mail 375 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 3: guy that said they want us to deliver the mail. 376 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 3: Those guys are heroes. Those guys are heroes. 377 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 1: What ww NC delivers as well? You do. You said 378 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,919 Speaker 1: you were on your way when we reached out to you. 379 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: Funny story, small small world tank spencer who we first 380 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: talked to at your station. First thing he asked me 381 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 1: was do you still work with Ramone? Robless And I said, oh, 382 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: my goodness, he's listening in right now, is Ramone. And 383 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 1: this is going to blow up his massive ego for 384 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: him to hear his name mentioned in North Carolina where 385 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: we're not currently on. And he said, oh, I know, Ramone. 386 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: We're in a fantasy football league together. And Keith Mollenax, 387 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: who was Pat and Ray's producer, and Ramone told me 388 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: I didn't know this. Ramone was the program director for 389 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: Keith when Pat Gray was in Houston, and when Keith 390 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 1: went to Nebraska guest, Ramon rode with him to help 391 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: him relocate his apartment. So, you know, it's one of 392 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: those good deeds you do and you never think about, 393 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: and here, fifteen years later it comes back. It's I 394 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: feel like we're sending out a very positive vibe into 395 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: the universe from this conversation. 396 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 3: Mark. 397 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 1: I'm also a very devout Christian. I believe that God's 398 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: hand has been on you and this station and this 399 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:30,120 Speaker 1: state and your people. I think a lot of character 400 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 1: has been revealed through all of this. I know that 401 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: you had people waiting for you that we're trying to 402 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 1: get to the station to you, and that they have 403 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,439 Speaker 1: made a lot of sacrifices so that you could do 404 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: what you've done. And I won't hold you any longer 405 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 1: so that you can go to be with them, Brandy 406 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: and everyone you love. But please thank them for the 407 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 1: rest of us for sharing you with the rest of us. 408 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 3: As as soon as I can get them back to 409 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 3: western North Carolina, so we do that. They are currently 410 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 3: with my brother and his wife in Atlanta. They rode 411 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 3: the storm out in a gas station parking lot for 412 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 3: about seven hours. We lost touch for We lost touch 413 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 3: for roughly thirty six to forty eight hours, and as 414 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 3: Tank Spencer and I were on the air on Sunday, 415 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 3: he was putting the caller's names up on the computer 416 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 3: screen so I could see them. And I looked over 417 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 3: at the screen and I saw my wife's name, and 418 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 3: she's the only Brandy I know. This spells her name 419 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:31,640 Speaker 3: with two ease at the end. 420 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 1: I saw that. 421 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 3: I looked at him and I said, I said, are 422 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 3: you Is this who I think it is? And he 423 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 3: said yes, And that was the first time I'd heard 424 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:44,679 Speaker 3: her voice. And once the waterworks stopped, I asked her 425 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 3: how she was, and she was just leaving a town 426 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 3: meeting at Black Mountain, and she proceeded to peel into 427 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 3: a TV news style report that was better than any 428 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 3: national reporter I have ever seen do the job. And 429 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 3: she's a mental health counselor. I still haven't seen her 430 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 3: since this. I haven't seen her since the Thursday or 431 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:09,200 Speaker 3: the Wednesday night before the storm. I'm hoping that they 432 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 3: get home sometime maybe this weekend, if not sometime into 433 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 3: next week. We've we did incur some damage at our 434 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 3: home and I'm trying to get that mitigated and get 435 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 3: that taken care of before before they come back, so 436 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 3: that they can come back to a home that is 437 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 3: safe and that is comfortable. And that is that is 438 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 3: that is theirs, you know it. Uh, we just got 439 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,840 Speaker 3: married back in April. My son Eli, who's my stepson, 440 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 3: but he's my son. I claim him as mine. And 441 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 3: she she wrote it out, she wrote that storm out 442 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 3: with our son. We have two eighty five pound golden doodles, 443 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 3: one hundred pound redbone coonhound, and a six pound Shihuahua 444 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 3: and they were all crammed in a four runner together. 445 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 3: And uh, I don't know how she did it, man. 446 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 3: But she is the toughest, toughest little cookie I know. 447 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 3: And I've never been more blad to realize that I 448 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 3: can call her my wife, and I just can't wait 449 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 3: to see her. 450 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: Just promise me that when you took a knee and 451 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: took her hand, you said, Brandy, you're a fine girl. 452 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: What a good wife you would be. 453 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 3: Oh, you know, we play that song every morning during 454 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 3: the during the morning show since this broadcast has kind 455 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,119 Speaker 3: of started, because Brandy is now calling in every morning 456 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 3: as and offering her free mental health counseling services to 457 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 3: anybody that's listening. They can email her and they and 458 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 3: she will counsel them for free for as long as 459 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 3: they need. But this was her way. She feels so 460 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 3: disconnected from the community because she's in Atlanta and she's 461 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,679 Speaker 3: she's safe and comfortable, and that is fantastic, but she 462 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 3: just wanted to be able to do something, and so 463 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 3: she has offered her counseling services to all of the 464 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 3: folks of western North Carolina to reach out and if they, 465 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 3: you know, if they if they feel like they need 466 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 3: to talk to somebody, She's there for me. I'm telling you, 467 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,919 Speaker 3: Michael We've got a new version outkicked my courage. 468 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna put the Michael Berry Show singers on this 469 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: and the new version is going to be with with 470 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: with apologies to looking Glass, It's going to be Brandy. 471 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: You're a fine girl. What a good wife. You could 472 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 1: be my time, I rob it is my job. I 473 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: gotta be at ww NC. Okay, it's a little long, Okay, 474 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,719 Speaker 1: Marmone says the lyrics are too long. Okay, it's too wordy. 475 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: But we're gonna we're gonna work on Mark. I know 476 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: you got to get We appreciate you. So proud of you. You. 477 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:33,359 Speaker 1: You have made all of us in radio so incredibly 478 00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: proud you and Tank Spencer, the whole team w w 479 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: n C in Asheville, North Carolina the pride of the 480 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 1: nation right now. 481 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 3: Thank you, sir, Thank you so much, Michael, and thank 482 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 3: you for keeping attention on Western North Carolina. It's a 483 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 3: it's an honor to talk to you, an honor be 484 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:51,679 Speaker 3: on your show. You have a you have been a 485 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:56,440 Speaker 3: longtime unknown mentor and I really appreciate everything. 486 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 1: Thank you, buddy. If you like the Michael Berry Show 487 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:04,159 Speaker 1: and podcast, please tell one friend and if you're so 488 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: inclined write a nice review of our podcast. Comments, suggestions, questions, 489 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: and interest in being a corporate sponsor and partner can 490 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: be communicated directly to the show at our email address, 491 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 1: Michael at Michael Berryshow dot com, or simply by clicking 492 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 1: on our website, Michael Berryshow dot com. The Michael Berry 493 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: Show and Podcast is produced by Ramon Roebliss, the King 494 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: of Ding. Executive producer is Chad Nakanishi. Jim Mudd is 495 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: the creative director. Voices Jingles, Tomfoolery and Shenanigans are provided 496 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 1: by Chance McLain. Director of Research is Sandy Peterson. Emily 497 00:28:53,920 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: Bull is our assistant listener and superfan. Contributions are appreciated 498 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 1: and often incorporated into our production. Where possible, we give credit, 499 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: where not, we take all the credit for ourselves. God 500 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 1: bless the memory of Rush Limbaugh. Long live Elvis, be 501 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: a simple man like Leonard Skinnard told you, and God 502 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: bless America. Finally, if you know a veteran suffering from PTSD, 503 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: call Camp Hope at eight seven seven seven one seven 504 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: PTSD and a combat veteran will answer the phone to 505 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: provide free counseling.